Women's Track/Field Sets School Record, Wins Four Events at Wheaton Invitational

The Hope College women's outdoor track and field team sprinted to a school-record performance in the 4x100 relay during the Wheaton College (Ill.) Invitational this weekend.

The Flying Dutch also finished first in four events during the two-day meet that concluded on Saturday. Hope took second in the team standings with 63 points, trailing only the University of Chicago with 139 points.

In the 4x100 relay, freshman Ava Schmidt (Saline, Michigan / Saline HS), senior Grace Behrens (Mishawaka, Indiana / Trinity School at Greenlawn), senior Helen Dodge (Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan / Grosse Pointe South), and freshman Sara Schermerhorn (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City West HS) raced to a school-record time of 47.82 seconds.

The relay surpassed the old mark of 48.34 seconds that was set in 2009 by Rachel Walton, Kara VandeGuchte, Emily Kreichelt and Nora Kuiper and tied earlier this season by Schmidt, Behrens, Dodge and Schermerhorn.

The relay finished second behind the University of Chicago's winning relay that went 47.59.

In the 200 meters, Schermerhorn sprinted to a winning effort of 25.34 seconds.

In the 400 meters, Behrens recorded a first-place and season-best run of 58.20 seconds.

In the 1,500 meters, senior Ellie Jankowski (Granger, Indiana / Penn) posted a winning time of 4:44.80.

In the 4x400 relay, the Flying Dutch clocked a first-place run as senior Julie Timperman (Lafayette, Indiana / Faith Christian), Schermerhorn, junior Erin Moran (Arlington Heights, Illinois / John Hersey) and Behrens went a season-best 3:56.93.

Eight different Flying Dutch also scored by placing in the top five in their respective events.

In the javelin, junior Amanda Timonen (Palatine, Illinois / William Fremd) took second with a toss of 33.31 meters (109-3). Senior Riki Ediger (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hamilton) came in fourth at 32.86 meters (107-10). Junior Libby Strotman (Park Ridge, Illinois / Maine Township) was fifth at 31.97 (104-11).

Heather Michalski of Augustana College (Ill.) won at 36.55 meters (119-11).

In the high jump, sophomore Allison Schram (Fenton, Michigan / Hartland) finished runner-up after clearing a season-high 1.60 meters (5 feet, 3 inches). Illinois Tech's Olivia Jameson won at 1.68 meters (5-6)

In the 100 meters, Schermerhorn also took second in the 100 meters with a run of 12.36 seconds. Chicago's Gabri Meschino was first at 12.23.

In the shot put, sophomore Greta Robrahn (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) finished fourth with a season-best toss of 12.61 meters (41-4 1/2).

In the 400, Timperman took fifth in the 400 by posting a time of 1:00.53.

In the 1,500, junior Olivia Quillan (Grandville, Michigan / Calvin Christian) finished first in the 1,500 at 4:51.64.

Hope's next meet is Friday-Saturday, April 21-22, at Grand Valley State University.

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